Birth to three matters - Communities and Local Government

0 – 8 months: Heads Up, Lookers andCommunicatorsDuring the first eight months youngbabies react to people and situationswith their whole bodies, neverthelessthey are competent in observingand responding to their immediateenvironment and communicatingwith those around them.8 – 18 months: Sitters, Standersand ExplorersDuring the period from eight to 18months when babies’ exploration of theenvironment becomes more intentionaltheir increasing mobility and languagedevelopment enables them to find outand understand more about their world.18 – 24 months: Movers, Shakersand PlayersFrom 18 to 24 months youngc h i l d ren begin to show incre a s i n gi n d e pe n d e n ce and obvious pleasurein mov i n g, co m m u n i cating andl e a rning through play.24 – 36 months: Walkers, Talkersand PretendersFrom 24 to 36 months children’scompetence at moving, talking andpretending is more and more evidentand they show increasing confidencein themselves and skill in makingrelationships. However, most of theresearch literature reviewed for this textuses the ages of the children who wereinvolved, and, where that is the case,we have done likewise.Pe rhaps above all, it is re cognition fo rm e a n i n g and how young children and thosea round them share meanings in human lifewhich is gaining asce n d a n cy amongre s e a rc h e r s, so it is essential to ackn ow l e d g ethe plura l i ty and uniqueness of childre n’sex pe ri e n ces due larg e ly to co ntextual andc u l t u ral diffe re n ce s. From a ve ry early agebabies and young children search for themeaning of the be h aviours and speech ofthose around them.Th ey often seem tore cognise those be h aviours which givesomeone powe r. For ex a m p l e, when Co ra l i ewas eight months old she beamed andt ri u m p h a n t ly waved the te l evision co n t ro lwhich she had managed to get hold of for thefirst time in her life. This object had meaningin her household – and she appe a red to haverealised that whoever held it had some sortof power (though she did not kn ow how to usethe co n t rol at that stage).Additionally, most psychologists no longerseek an answer to the question of whetherthe abilities and characteristics a childis born with (‘nature’) have a greaterimpact on their later achievements andpersonality than what they experience asthey grow up (‘nurture’). This thinking hasbeen superseded by the recognition thatboth are interdependent, a point which isfrequently reiterated throughout this text.DEFINING CHILDREN’S NEEDSIn attempting to establish evidence abouteffective practice in both home and groupsettings offering early childhoodeducation and care (ECEC) for babies andchildren aged between birth and three17